of chicago



Dec. 18, 1923. 1,478,119

M. HERSKOVITZ ELECTRIC LIGHT CLUSTER SOCKET Filed Dec. 14 1917 2 Sheets-Shee't 1 M. HERSKOVITZ ELECTRIC LIGHT CLUSTER SOCKET Dec. 18, 1923.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14 1917 Patented Dec. 18, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- MAX HEBSKOVITZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T PEERLESS LIGHT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ELECTRIC-LIGHT CLUSTER socxn'r.

Application filed December 14, 1917. Serial No. 207,083.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, MAX Hnnsxovrrz, a citizen of the United States, residingbat Chicage, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric-Light Cluster Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

My primary object is to provide a novel, simple, and economical construction of cluster-socket which may be used in a large variety of ways. Other objects are to pro vide a cluster-socket which may be caused to assume different positions for causing the electric-lightbulbs supported thereby to ex- 1 tend upwardly or downwardly, as desired, de-

pending upon the way in which the socket is wired, and to provide a construction which may be used in connection with hanging domes and in lamps, or the like, involving supporting standards which rise from a base; and other objects as will be apparent from the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a View in elevation of a clustersocket embodyin my invention and adapted to cause the lig ts to incline upwardly or downwardly depending upon the wiring of the socket. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the socket with the wires thereof extending throu h its upper end for attachment with suitab e wires from which the socket depends with the sockets inclining downwardly.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, inner-face View of one of the similar halves of the casing of the socket device, as I prefer to construct it.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the other section of the casing of the device showing the same as equipped with the screw shells for receiving the electric lamps, and the circuit connections with current-conducting wires.

Fig. 5 is a section taken at the line 5 on Fig.

4 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

F ig. 6 is a section taken at the line 6 on Fig.

4 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

' Fig. 7 is a section taken at the line 7 on Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views of certain plate devices employed for electrically connecting the current-conducting wires to the terminals of the screw shells forming the sockets into which the lamps are screwed.

Fig. 10 is'a View in vertical, sectional, elevation of a hanging lamp of the type employ ing a hanging chain supporting a shade, or inverted dome, with a light cluster therein,

the latter being constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 11 is a view in sectional elevation of the connecting medium between the hanging chain and the clustersocket of Fig. 11. Fig. 12 is a similar view of the means for securing the shade or inverted dome to the cluster-socket; and Fig. 13, a view like Fig. 10, of a lamp involving a supporting standard from whicha clustersocket constructed in accordance with my invention, and a dome, or shade, is supported.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention, I form the casing of the cluster-socket of two sections of substantially the same construction which when placed flatwise together form the completed casing, this casing by preference being made of an insulatlng materlal such as bakelite.

The two sections referred to, and repre-- lower portions, the cylindrical hollow sections 20 and 21, the sections 20 and 21 being externally threaded as represented at 22 and 28. The sections 19 form housings for the screw shells 24 of current-conducting material, as for example metal, which afford sockets into which the lamps are to be screwed, these shells being in electrical contact with the flanges 25 of a plate 26 which is secured, as by a screw 27, to the inner face of the section 17. The center contacts of the sockets 24 are represented at 28, these contacts for both sockets 24 being formed from a single strip 29 of metal which is secured to the sec tion 17, as by a screw 30, the ends of this strip extending through eyes 31 in the bases of the sockets 24 and. insulated from the screw portion thereof and bent over as represented in Fig. 5. Is assembling the parts as stated, the socket members 24 with the electrical connections referred to are secured to one of the similar sections forming the easing of the cluster-socket and after the current-conducting wires have been connected therewith as desired, the other section of the casing is flatwise applied to it and these parts rigidly secured together through the medium of devices which engage thethreaded portions 22 and 23 of the casing.

and 23 metal shells33 and34: provided with center contacts 35 and 36, respectively, insulated from the threaded parts of the shells I33 and 34:. In this construction two wires would be connected with the plate 29, as

through the medium of the screw 30, and

lead in opposite directions to the shells 33 and 34: and two wires, connected to the plate ,26 by a screw 27 would lead to the two contacts 35 and 36. The wires referred to lie in curved channels 37 and 38in the projections 22 and 23 respectively, these channels opening through the opposite ends of the cluster-socket as shown. In Fig. 7 one of these similar terminal contact-equipped caps isshown, the center contact being represented as a perforated member interlocked with a flanged disk 39 which is turn is interlocked with a block iOof insulating material. The wires above referred to are represented at a1 and l2, the wire 41 being bent over the channeled end of the projection through which it extends and thence along the side thereof to contact with the shell 33 whenthe latter is screwed to place as shown, and the wire 42 extending upwardly into contact with the center contact 35 to which itis preferably soldered, It will be understood from the foregoing that in this particular arrangement either one of the plug portions 33 and 34 may be screwed into an electric-light socket to position the lamps 32 as desired. It will also be understood that if desired the socket devices in the cluster-socket may be electrically connected with one end only of the cluster-socket or in other words, to the plug 33 or3d, asdesired, in which case the threaded projection of the casing opposite that at which the electrical connections are made with a plug, may be engaged by a threaded shell member or any other suitable means, for holding the casing together.

It will also be understood that if desired the wires 41 and 42 instead of being connected with a plug such as that shown at 33, ma extend upwardly through the casing an be connected with the wires which lead from a current-conducting source, in any desired manner, in which case a threaded shell represented in Fig. 2 and having an opening through its upper end, or any other suitable means, may be provided for engaging the portion 22 of the cluster-socket, the projection 23 having a plain cap 22 screwed thereon.

In Fig. 11 I have illustrated my clustersocket as applied to use in connection with a hanging lamp in which case the currentconducting wires a1 and -12, which are threaded through the suspending chain l3 which would be attached to the ceiling, extend downward through a threaded shell which screws upon the threaded portion 23 of the socket-device and has a ring 45 at its upper end interlocking with the chain 4-3 and through the medium of which the fixture is suspended, the wires il and 42 extending downward through the shell 44 to their respective connections with the plates 29 and 26. The threaded portion 22 of the casing of the cluster-socket is embraced by a threaded shell i6 screwing thereon anl provided with a depending threaded stud Q7. The globe or shade tits ov r the stud 4:7 and is held in place thereon by a head l8 screwed. upon the threaded stud e7.

In Fig. 14 I show my improved clustersocket for use in a lamp involving a standard rising from a base, (not shown) as is common in reading lamps. in this construction the lamps 32 incline downwardly and the lower, threaded, portion is equipped with the shell and center contacts 34L and 36, respectively, which screw into an uprightly-disposed electric-light socket 4L9 supported on the top of the standard 50 in accordance with common practice. The projecting portion 22 of the casing has screwed thereon one of the members d6 at which the globe, represented at 51, is secured in clamped position by the head 48 which screws upon the stud 47.

From the foregoing description of my improved cluster-socket and the illustration and description thereof of the different ways in which it may be used, it will be readily understood that while the casing of the cluster-socket remains the same, by merely varying the positions of the current-com ducting wires, the contact plug or plugs of the socket and the substitution of one device for another at the projecting portions of the socket-device, the casing is adapted to be used in many different combinations and to support lamps in varying positions.

l Vhile l have illustrated and described certain constructions in which my invention may be embodied, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit the same thereto, as various modifications and alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention, it being my intention to claim my invention as fully and completely as the prior state of the art will permit.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A cluster-lamp socket formed of a hollow body containing sockets for lamps and hollow projections extending in opposite dimeans rections from said body, said body being formed of sections each of which forms parts of both of said projections, and means engaging said projections and holding said sections together.

2. A cluster-lamp socket formed of a hollow body containing sockets for lamps and hollow projections extending in opposite directions from said body, said body being formed of sections each of which forms parts of both of said projections, means engaging said projections and holding said sections together, one of said means forming a plug presenting plural contacts, and connecting said last-referred-to means with the terminals of said sockets.

3. In a cluster-lamp socket, a hollow portion forming a support for lamps, and having hollow projections extending in opposite directions, at opposite sides of the point at which the lamps are supported, said portion being formed of sections each of which forms parts of both of said projections.

4. In a cluster-lamp socket a hollow portion having tubular laterally extending sockets for lamps and hollow projections extending in opposite directions, at opposite sides of said sockets, said portion being formed of sections each of which forms parts of both of said projections.

5. In a cluster-lamp socket, a hollow portion having laterally extending tubular extensions and equipped with contacts "for electric lamps, and hollow projections extending in opposite directions, said portion being formed of sections each of which forms parts of both of said projections and said tubular extensions.

6. A cluster-lamp socket formed of a body presenting attaching portions for lamps and having threaded, hollow projections extending in opposite directions from said body and threaded shells screwed on said projections, one of said shells having a stem.

7. A cluster-lamp socket formed of a body presenting attaching portions for lamps and having threaded, hollow projections extending in opposite directions from said body and threaded shells screwed on said projections, one of said shells being provided with means for attaching it to a suspending medium.

8. A. cluster-lamp socket formed of a body presenting attaching portions for lamps and having threaded, hollow projections extending in opposite directions from posed faces thereof adjacent the inner ends of said socket-portions adapting currentconducting wires to extend into said body from either side thereof for electrical connection with said socket-portions 10. A cluster lamp socket comprising in combination, a body formed of sections each having half sockets therein, lamp receiving shells seated in said sockets, a disk of insulating material in each socket, a member of conducting material having one extremity connecting with each disk and its middle portion secured to one of said sections to provide center contacts for lamps in said shells and to retain the shells in the sockets, a second member of conducting material having extremities in contact with said shells respectively and secured at its middle portion to one of said sections, conductor wires connected to said securing means respectively to supply current to said member and to said shells.

11. A cluster-lamp socket comprising, in combination, a body formed of sections each having half sockets therein, one of said sections containing a recess communicating at its opposite ends with the inner ends of said half sockets, lamp-receiving shells seated in said sockets, a disk of insulating material in each socket, a substantially U-shaped member of conducting material located in said recess and secured between its ends to said recess-containing section, the extremities of said member being connected with said disks to provide center contacts for lamps in said shells and to retain the shells in the sockets, a second member of conducting material having extremities in con tact with said shells, respectively, and secured at its medial portion to one of said sections, and conductor wires connected to said securing means, respectively, to supply current to said members and to said shells.

MAX HERSKOVITZ. 

